With college comes a lot of work. Studying, writing, reading, speeches, presentations, and the list can go on and on. It’s one thing when my professor asks me to read an assigned book every week and then discuss it in class. But weekly response assignments?

Give me a break.

I do them, but am I the only student that feels like these sorts of assignments don’t benefit me at all? These weekly response assignments feel like more of a policing tool to keep students busy and make sure they are doing their reading.

Personally, if a student isn’t reading–it isn’t anyone’s problem but theirs. Exams and quizzes are enough to see whether a student is keeping up with the course work, and when you have so many books to read, PowerPoints to study, all weekly assignments just seem like busy-work and a huge hassle. After doing schoolwork and working until midnight at my own pace, it’s when I suddenly remember to do that silly assignment that I just roll my eyes and curse the professor–especially since we all know he just skims it anyway.

Honestly, there is nothing more frustrating than three of my five classes making me do weekly responses. Granted, they are short and comprehensive, but professors rarely even thoroughly read them. Once, a professor wrote: “Thanks for doing this,” and I wondered, “Am I the only one turning these in?” It’s not that these assignments are difficult, it’s that they have no point. Students, feel free to argue with me.

What’s your opinion on weekly assignments? Do they motivate you, or just bother you? Let me know in the comments below!

One Comment

I think it just depends on the teacher. Last semester we had questions/prompts about our reading to answer each week. I thought it was thought provoking, but the whole class was, so it just tied in with that. We didn’t have tests in that class though, just three small papers, a small project and the journalling assignment plus class participation. I think it is the content that matter; I have had tests that required the learning of fluff or answering according to set answers (in Literature).